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Pilates – What Is It, How To Do, And Benefits

Pilates – What Is It, How To Do, And BenefitsCharushila BiswasHyderabd040-395603080May 1, 2019

Pilates is the BEST exercise for building a strong core and reducing lower back pain (1), (2), (3). It was developed by Joseph Pilates during the World War I to rehabilitate injured soldiers. He brought Western and Eastern fitness together to increase strength, flexibility, posture, and balance effectively (4). No wonder that today, about 100 years later, dancers, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts practice Pilates regularly. The best part – Pilates is for everyone. You will benefit from it tremendously if you practice it for 10-45 minutes regularly. This article lists the best Pilates workouts, their benefits, and much more. So, give this post a quick read. Swipe up!

What Is Pilates And How Does It Work?

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Pilates is a combination of simple exercises done repeatedly to help build a strong core. Your core, i.e., all the body parts except your limbs, are responsible for generating power to lift objects, move, twist, and bend. Pilates work and strengthen the muscles of your abs, back, glutes, and chest. It includes a mix of yoga, ballet, and calisthenics.

As a beginner, you must know the six principles of Pilates to have a deeper understanding of how you can perfectly execute every exercise. Scroll down to find out what they are.

6 Principles Of Pilates

To know the six principles of Pilates and how they came to be, let’s first get to know how the idea of Pilates came to Joseph Pilates. Joseph suffered from various diseases as a child. He was weak and fragile. So, he traveled in search of that ultimate body strengthening exercise. He studied yoga, Zen meditation, martial arts, and Roman and Greek exercises. And during World War I, he started using a combination of all his research on different exercises on injured soldiers. Doctors soon noticed that the patients were able to recover quickly, and from there on, “Pilates method” was used extensively to aid soldiers’ recovery. In around 1920, Joseph Pilates landed in New York, and many dancers took up Pilates to improve their movement, balance, and flexibility. In fact, athletes started Pilates exercises to improve endurance and strength (5). Interesting, right? So, what was he doing right? This is where the six principles of Pilates come into the picture.

Centering – Your core is the “center” of all the power generated to do all the movements. He used this knowledge to design exercises that help strengthen the core.

Concentration – Focusing your brain on your body movements will help you engage all your muscles and do the exercises with 100% precision.

Breath – Breathing is very important in Pilates. Exhaling and inhaling air in a rhythm allows oxygenation and detoxification of all cells and tissues.

Control – Controlling your movements, brain, and breath to execute each exercise with precision instead of depending on the number of reps.

Precision – Pilates is all about precision. The more precise and focused you are, the more you will learn and benefit from Pilates.

Fluidity – The transition from one exercise or movement to the other without a static or sudden movement. The exercises flow from one exercise to the other.

These are the six principles of Pilates (6). There are two types of Pilates – Mat Pilates and Reformer Pilates. Let’s take a look at how you can differentiate between the two.

Difference Between Mat And Reformer Pilates

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Mat Pilates – You do Pilates exercises on a mat and work on your lower and upper back, stomach, and legs. Your body weight will act as a resistance, and every core muscle will be recruited to do the mat Pilates exercises. You will be in full control of your brain and body. Mat Pilates is the best for beginners.

Reformer Pilates – The reformer Pilates uses a Pilates equipment that was developed by Joseph Pilates and used during World War I to help the soldiers recover from injuries. It has a narrow bed with pulleys, straps, and slides. These help assist your body movement and target bigger muscles and increase the versatility of muscles.

Now that you know everything you need to know about Pilates, let’s move on to the 10 best Pilates exercises for beginners.

Sets And Reps

6. Side Lying Leg Abduction

How To Do Side Lying Leg Abduction

Lie on your left side, flex your left elbow and place your left upper arm on the floor. Rest your head on your left palm. Keep your left leg extended, flex your right knee, and place your right foot in front of your left thigh, and the right foot flat on the floor. Keep your right palm on the mat close to your chest for support. This is the starting position.

Keeping your left leg straight, lift it off the floor and then pulse it up and down 10 times.

Sets And Reps

8. Rolling Like A Ball

How To Do Rolling Like A Ball

Sit on a mat with your knees flexed, and place your feet close to each other. Place each hand on each foot. Lift your feet off the floor, keep your knees hip-width apart, and look at your knees. This is the starting position.

Push yourself back and roll on your back until the back of your shoulders touch the mat, and your knees are close to your nose.

And then push your body back up to the starting position.

Sets And Reps

3 sets of 4 reps

9. Open Leg Balance

How To Do Open Leg Balance

Sit on a mat with your knees flexed, and feet placed close to each other. Place each hand on each foot.

Lift your feet off the floor, keep your knees hip-width apart, and slowly extend your legs up so that they are about 60 degrees with the floor. Lean back a little for support, and keep your back straight.

Sets And Reps

These are the 10 best and easy Pilates workouts that you can do at home. Now, if you are still not sure if you should take up Pilates, go through the following list of benefits.

Benefits Of Pilates

Here is why you should include Pilates in your workout regimen:

Helps strengthen the core.

Helps build stamina.

Improves muscle function.

Reduces joint and muscle pain.

Aids weight loss.

Improves flexibility.

Heightens mind-body awareness.

Relieves stress.

Increases energy levels.

Strengthens the pelvic floor muscles.

Improves posture.

Prevents injuries.

So, you see, there is almost no reason you shouldn’t do Pilates. It will not only build an impressive physical structure but also offers tremendous mental gains. Discuss with your trainer today and get started with this beautiful, almost ballet-like exercise routine. Cheers!

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